Apparatus for carbonating liquids and filling bottles under pressure.



No. 688,99I. Patented nec. I7, 190|.

' J.FLETcHE. APPARATUS FOR GARBUNATING L lUIDS AND FILLING BUTTLES UNDER PRESSURE.

(Application med June 29, 1901.) (Nd Modei.) 3 Sheeis-Shaet I.

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Patented Dec. I7, 190|.

No. 688,99l.

, J. FLETCHER. APPARATUS FUR CARBUNATING LIQUIDS AND FILLING BUTTLES UNDER PRESSURE.

(Application med June 29, 1901.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

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APPARATUS FOR GARBONATING LIIIUIDS AND FILLING BOTTLES UNDER PRESSURE.

(Application-1ed June 29, 1901.) l (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Shui 3.

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I NrTED TETES i ATENT Errori.N

JOSEPH FLETCHER, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR CARBONATING LIQUIDS AND FILLING BOTTLES UNDER PRESSURE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 688,991, dated December 17, 1901.

Application tiled .Tune 29,1901. Serial No. 66,541. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, JOSEPH FLETCHER, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Narford road, Clapton, London, N. E., England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Carbonating Liquids and vFilling Bottles Under Pressure, of which the following is a specification.

This invent-ion relates to apparatus employed especially for carbonating or aerating beer, mineral Waters, and other liquids and for lilling bottles or siphons, and provides an apparatus of great simplicity by which a constant supply ot' aerated liquid can be obtained.

The accompanying drawings show the general construction ot my apparatus.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section. Fig. 2 is an elevation at right angles to Fig. l, and Fig. 3 is a plan.

The apparatus consists of a cylinder A, carried bya vertical standard B,the axis of the cylinder being preferably horizontal. Through this cylinder, which is fixed in position, a rotating spindle C passes, one end of which has a small bore c, openingatitsinnerend to the interior of the cylinder through a tube c, which extends in one position of the spindle to within a short distance of the bottom of the cylinder. v On the tubular end of this spindle Athe bottle holding and iilling device is fitted, this consisting of a tubular arinD, in communication with the bore of the spindle, bent over and provided with the usual arrangement cZ for receiving the mouth of the bottle or an attachment for the spout of the siphon. The arm is extended at the other side of the spindle and carries an adjustable stand E for receiving the bottle, the support having a spring e, which causes the bottle to be gripped between it and the mouth-holder. A lever F is carried by the adjustable stand and is connected to the spindle of the bottlesupport. On pressing back this lever the support is pulled back against the pressure of the spring andthe bottle is released or a fresh one is inserted. The general construction of the turn-over bottle-filling device is well known.

The tubular arm through which the liquid is supplied is provided with a small stop-valve .it is opened.

d', which allows the liquid to pass only when The spindle of this valve'projects for a short distance, and the end of the standard is provided with a beveled stop or extension ZJ, adapted to meet the valve-stem when the arm is turned into vertical position withthe bottle upright. In this position only can Pliquid pass from the cylinder into the bottle, and immediately the bottle-holder is turned .along with the spindle the supply of liquid is cut ott and the bottle can be removed. The lever above described serves as a handle for turning the holder and spindle. The other end of the spindle is providedjvith the gearing G, operating through the connecting-link g a double-acting force-pump H, which forces through the pipe h a supply of liquid into the cylinder against the pressure of the gas, which is constant and is supplied from any suitable source through a reducingvalve in the well-known manner. Connections frorn the gas-holder pass to the supplytube a at the top of the cylinder or at any convenient part. A safety-valve a is also provided in case of excessive pressure. The construction of the force-pump H may be of any well-known suitable description.

After each bottle is full the holder is given a turn (or, if necessary, two turns) during the operation ot' removing the full bottle and placing an empty one into lling position, and this action forces sufficient water or other liquid into the cylinder to make up for the quantity withdrawn, so that the action of the apparatus is quite continuous.

The cylinder should be supplied with the liquid to about half its capacity, so that the upperhalf is filled with gas at high pressure, a gage d? being provided to enable the level of liquid to be seen. It this should fall below the proper position, one or two turns of the spindle will supply the'deiiciency.

Within the cylinder an agitator is titted,con sisting of perforated arms or plates J, carried by the spindle and rotated with it. The tube c is carried along one of the perforated plates and is supported by it.

The liquid in the cylinder being under constant high pressure, the movement given to the rotating spindle and agitator agitates the liquid and forces the gas in the upper part of the cylinder to mix with the liquid, thus producing .carbonated beers, waters, and other aerated beverages.

Vith this apparatus bottles can be filled with aerated liquids in a very effective and expeditious manner and without any special skill on the part of the operator. necessary to do in working the apparatus is to place the bottle in position in the turn-over holder mouth down, giving half a turn to the holder to bring the bottle into upright position, and 1o open the small valve allowing of communication between the bottle and the mixing-cylinder, then to give a slight tap to the handle, taking the pressure ot' the holder oft the bottle and allowing some of the air compressed within the bottle to escape, (this operation being the one known as snifting,) and when the bottle is full to turn it again into reversed position, when it is'removed from the holder and a fresh bottle inserted.

If the machine is used for larger bottles than it is especially' designed for, two turns may be given for each complete operationthat is, after the bottle has been lled a coniplele turn and a half are given to it bet'oreit is removed.

No special attention is required for the su pply of liquid except that the operator must observe the gage at intervals to note the amount of liquid in the mixing-cylinder. As the pump does all the necessary work otfoi'cingrr the liquid in against the pressure of the gas, no special holders are required in addition to the apparatus excepting the ordinary carbonio-acid cylinder, from which the compressed gas is supplied through a reducingvalve.

This apparatus enables publicans or refreshment-houses to make their own mineral waters at a very small expense, as the appal. An apparatus for aerating liquids and filling bottles, consisting of a fixed mixingcylinder in connection with a gas-holder, a standard carrying the saidmiXing-cylinder, a rotating spindle passing through the cylinder, mixing-blades upon the said spindle and adapted to rotate with it, a turn-over bottling device upon one end of the spindle and a force-pump supplying liquid to the cylinder connected by gearing to the spindle and operated by the turn-over bottling device which is turned always in the saine direction, substantially as herein described.

2. An apparatus for aerating liquids-.and filling bottles, consisting of the fixed cylinder A upon the standard B, the rotating spindle C passing through the cylinder and khaving a tubular part communicating with the cylinder, agitating-blades J upon the spindle inside the cylinder, a turn-overbottling device upon the end of the spindle having asmall stop-valve allowing the liquid to pass when the bottle-filling device is in one position,and a force-pump connected With the cylinder and with the rotating spindle through suitable gearing, this pump forcing in liquid against the pressure of the gas inthe cylinder, substantially as herein described and shown in the accompanying drawings.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH FLETCHER.

Witnesses:

F. W. PATTIsoN, WALTER J. SKERT'EN. 

